#goshitel

When faced with determinism, you may feel something like being defeated.

That feeling is accurate but not in the humiliating way the ego fears. What’s being defeated is the illusion that you ever stood outside the system you’re studying. Determinism is not meant to crush you; it dissolves the fantasy of separateness.

Think of it like the wave realizing it’s not pushing the ocean. It is the ocean moving in a particular form. From that angle, defeat becomes transformation. You stop fighting the current of causality and begin to read its patterns.

When you see that your impulses, questions, and even your resistance are lawful consequences of countless prior conditions biological, cultural, cosmic something paradoxical happens. Freedom returns in a deeper key. Not as “I can do anything,” but as “I understand why I do what I do.” That understanding removes confusion, and confusion is the real prison.

‘고시텔 (Goshitel)’

photographed by 심규동 (Kyu Dong Sim)

Core Livingtel (코아리빙텔 서강점) Goshiwon Review 

Room: Mini oneroom with private sink, shower and toilet on mixed-gender floor.  Rent: 400,000won p/m In room: Bed, desk, chair, wardrobe, shelves, refrigerator, air con, tv, sink, shower, toilet, window, bathroom slippers, bin and 2 mirrors. Common areas: Kitchen, water dispenser, washing machine, roof area with drying racks for hanging washing, slippers provided in the kitchen and roof area, free rice, kimchi, coffee and instant ramen.    

Room and bed are comfortable but still small.

Internet is sometimes slow. 

Kitchen and other areas are always nice and clean. Room has a small bin and cleaning materials are provided. 

Owner is very friendly and is often around cleaning and is always available in the office. No guests or visitors.

Decent sized window facing outside.

Close to restaurants and cafes but still a very quiet area. 

[edit] Only one kitchen so if you are on the lower floor you have to go upstairs to get to the kitchen and roof area!

Living Castle (리빙캐슬 서강점) Goshiwon Review 

Room: Room with private sink and shower but no toilet on women only floor.  Rent: 300,000won p/m  In room: Bed, desk, chair, wardrobe, shelves, refrigerator, air con, sink, shower, mirror and very small window. Common areas: Kitchen, toilets, water dispenser, washing machine, free rice and instant ramen.     

Room and bed very small. 

Internet was fast and always connected. 

Toilets and kitchen not very clean. No cleaning appliances provided for cleaning your room, no bin.

Owner is nice but is never around, never in the office. Does not care if you bring guests to your room as long as you’re quiet.

Tiny window that faces into the hallway not outside. No natural light.

Air conditioning is very good, almost too good, can get cold! 

5/10 minute walk to cheap, simple restaurants and cafes. Nice, quiet area, next to Mapo Art Centre and schools. 

So, it’s been a week since I arrived at my goshitel in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. A goshitel is a small(!) room with a bed, toilet+shower, mini fridge, TV, desk+chair, free wifi and some storage space. Then you share a small kitchen with the others in the goshitel where it’s free cooked rice, kimchi and ramyun. There’s also free laundry machines. This may differ from different goshitels, for example some also have free eggs. I’ll share some pictures from my goshitel.

The entrance is at the ground floor, then at the 1st floor there are the shoe lockers. You take off your outside shoes and put on slippers. Every room has their own shoe locker with a key.

The stairs are quite steep.

Then on the 2nd floor is the ‘Information’ and the ‘recycle area’. The guy working in the ‘Information’ doesn’t speak any english. 

My room is also on the 2nd floor. The corridor is shaped as an U and my room is furthest away from the entrance. This is good. I only have 1 neighbour and I get a window towards the outside instead of towards the corridor. I must say the walls are quite thin, but so far the noise from the person next door or from the outside has not bothered me.

This is what I see when I open the door. (excuse the mess) Bed, toilet and desk.

Here’s some extra details:

Then on the 3rd floor is another U corridor with rooms. After that it’s only 1 set of stairs left and you’re at the top floor where the kitchen, laundry and rooftop is.

This is the view from the rooftop.